1. the same language & 'special' language Number 3 is the most difficult.

You can't say "Road was

The language for the following 4 types of chart is the same: Line graphs, Bar used", so you have to add the
charts, Pie charts, Tables. These 4 types of chart all show the same thing: word "vehicles". Most
numbers. So what type of language are you going to use? You need to be students make a mistake
able to 1) describe numbers 2) compare different numbers 3) describe here.
changes in numbers (increase, decrease etc.). Easy!
People sometimes ask me to teach
Only one type of question requires 'special' language: the process diagram... them "the language for pie charts"
or "the language for tables". I tell
A process diagram shows steps or stages, not numbers. them that they already know it.

There are four stages in the process, beginning with the collection of You can usually take the same set
information about the weather. This information is then analysed, prepared of numbers and present them in
for presentation, and finally broadcast to the public. either of these 4 ways. The
language you use to describe them
Looking at the first and second stages of the process, there are three ways of will not change.
collecting weather data and three ways of analysing it. Firstly, incoming
The figure illustrates the process
information can be received by satellite and presented for analysis as a used by the Australian Bureau of
satellite photo. The same data can also be passed to a radar station and Meteorology to forecast the
presented on a radar screen or synoptic chart. Secondly, incoming weather.
information may be collected directly by radar and analysed on a radar
screen or synoptic chart. Finally, drifting buoys also receive data which can
be shown on a synoptic chart.

At the third stage of the process, the weather broadcast is prepared on

computers. Finally, it is delivered to the public on television, on the radio, or
as a recorded telephone announcement.

2. Comparing numbers

In 1970, around 5 million people travelled to work by car each day,

about 4 million who used the bus 2 million who commuted by
train. Over the next 30 years there was a significant increase in the number
of car users, to almost 7 million, _____ a steady rise in rail passengers, to 3
million. _____ _____, the number of bus commuters decreased slightly.

3. Too many synonyms

1. compared to (with)
I advise my students to keep it simple and avoid making mistakes. Just learn 2. and only (about / around)
one or two different ways to write the same thing. For example: 3. and
shows = illustrates / compares graph = line graph 4. By contrast (In contrast)
chart = bar chart / pie chart the number of = the figure for
Some students learn 10 different
increased = rose / saw an increase / there was a rise ways to write the word "shows"
(e.g. the graph shows). They find
4. The most important skill words like depicts, indicates,
reveals, displays, exhibits etc. But
It's useful to think about how to start your sentences. For example, here are none of these words are really
some sentences about the year 1970: appropriate for the kind of essay
we are writing.
1) 60 million tonnes of goods were transported by road.
2) The amount of goods transported by road totalled 60 million tonnes. Probably the most important skill for
3) Road vehicles were used to transport 60 million tonnes of goods. task 1 is to be able to describe
numbers correctly. Look at the table
You should notice that it's much easier to begin with the number (sentence below.
1). This is how I usually prefer to write sentences for task 1.

Number 2 is good, but you might find that you repeat "the amount of goods"
too many times if you only use this type of sentence.
1
4. different introductions Have you ever tried writing
several different introductions
The table below shows the proportion of different categories of families living for the same question?
in poverty in Australia in 1999. (Cambridge IELTS 4, page 31)
1) The chart compares percentages of Australians from six different family
types who were classed as poor in 1999.
2) The table gives information about poverty rates among six types of
household in Australia in the year 1999.
3) The table compares different categories of Australian families in terms of
the proportion of people living below the poverty line in each one.
5. language for comparing
The chart below shows the total number of Olympic medals won by twelve
different countries.

each stacked bar shows us 4

pieces of information (number
of gold, silver and bronze
medals, and the total number).

The bar chart compares twelve countries in terms of the overall number
of medals that they have won at the Olympic Games.
It is clear that the USA is by far the most successful Olympic medal
winning nation. It is also noticeable that the figures for gold, silver and bronze
medals won by any particular country tend to be fairly similar.
The USA has won a total of around 2,300 Olympic medals, including
approximately 900 gold medals, 750 silver and 650 bronze. In second place on
the all-time medals chart is the Soviet Union, with just over 1,000 medals.
Again, the number of gold medals won by this country is slightly higher than
the number of silver or bronze medals.
Only four other countries - the UK, France, Germany and Italy - have won
more than 500 Olympic medals, all with similar proportions of each medal
colour. Apart from the USA and the Soviet Union, China is the only other
country with a noticeably higher proportion of gold medals (about 200)
compared to silver and bronze (about 100 each). (178 words, band 9)

 The chart compares... in terms of the number of...

 ...is by far the most... OR ...has by far the highest number of...
 the figures for... tend to be fairly similar If you look carefully at the bar
 In second place on the chart is...* chart essay, you'll find some
good phrases for comparing.
 The number of... is slightly higher than...
See if you can adapt them to
 Only four other countries have... other task 1 questions.
 ...all with similar proportions of...
 ...is the only country with a noticeably higher proportion of...

*Note: Only use phrases like "in second place" if the chart shows some kind
of competition. Don't write "in first / second place" if the chart shows
unemployment or health problems!

2
6. the main features & the details
The table compares the percentages of people using different functions of
their mobile phones between 2006 and 2010.
Throughout the period shown, the main reason why people used their mobile
phones was to make calls. However, there was a marked increase in the
popularity of other mobile phone features, particularly the Internet search
feature.
In 2006, 100% of mobile phone owners used their phones to make calls, while
the next most popular functions were text messaging (73%) and taking photos
(66%). By contrast, less than 20% of owners played games or music on their
phones, and there were no figures for users doing Internet searches or
recording video.
Over the following 4 years, there was relatively little change in the figures for
the top three mobile phone features. However, the percentage of people using
their phones to access the Internet jumped to 41% in 2008 and then to 73% in
2010. There was also a significant rise in the use of mobiles to play games and
to record video, with figures reaching 41% and 35% respectively in 2010.

7. line graph The graph below shows the average

number of UK commuters travelling
two main points for your overview (summary) of the graph below. each day by car, bus or train
between 1970 and 2030.
The first thing you should notice is that the car was easily the most popular form of
transport in each of the years shown on the graph. Secondly, you could contrast the rising
trends for car and train use with the falling trend for bus users.

The line graph compares figures for daily travel by workers in the UK using
three different forms of transport over a period of 60 years.

It is clear that the car is by far the most popular means of transport for UK
commuters throughout the period shown. Also, while the numbers of people
who use the car and train increase gradually, the number of bus users falls
steadily. (overview paragraph describing the two points above)

In 1970, around 5 million UK commuters travelled by car on a daily basis,

Tip: Don't look for particular years or
while the bus and train were used by about 4 million and 2 million people numbers. Look at the overall trend
respectively. In the year 2000, the number of those driving to work rose to 7 over the whole 60-year period.
million and the number of commuting rail passengers reached 3 million.
However, there was a small drop of approximately 0.5 million in the number
of bus users.

By 2030, the number of people who commute by car is expected to reach

almost 9 million, and the number of train users is also predicted to rise, to
nearly 5 million. By contrast, buses are predicted to become a less popular
choice, with only 3 million daily users.

'while' sentences

1) 'while' at the beginning of the sentence:

While the numbers of people who use the car and train increase gradually, the In writing task 1, you usually need
number of bus users falls steadily. to make comparisons. A good way
to do this is to write a complex
2) 'while' in the middle of the sentence:
sentence using the word 'while'.
In 1970, around 5 million UK commuters travelled by car on a daily basis, while
the bus and train were used by about 4 million and 2 million people
respectively.

3
8. 'before and after' diagram

The diagrams below are

existing and proposed floor
plans for the redevelopment
of an art gallery.

Here's my advice:
1. Introduction: paraphrase the
question
2. Summary:the main changes to the
gallery(entrance and use of space)
3. Paragraph comparing entrance,
lobby, office, education area
4. Paragraph comparing use of space
for exhibitions

The first picture shows the layout of an art gallery, and the second shows
some proposed changes to the gallery space.
It is clear that significant changes will be made in terms of the use of floor
space in the gallery. There will be a completely new entrance and more space
for exhibitions.
At present, visitors enter the gallery through doors which lead into a
lobby. However, the plan is to move the entrance to the Parkinson Court side
of the building, and visitors will walk straight into the exhibition area. In place
of the lobby and office areas, which are shown on the existing plan, the new
gallery plan shows an education area and a small storage area.
The permanent exhibition space in the redeveloped gallery will be about
twice as large as it is now because it will occupy the area that is now used for
temporary exhibitions. There will also be a new room for special exhibitions.
Question: The two maps below show
This room is shown in red on the existing plan and is not currently part of the an island, before and after the
gallery. (178 words, band 9) construction of some tourist
9. maps of an island (Cambridge 9 Test1) facilities.

My introduction: The diagrams illustrate some changes to a small island 1. Introduction: As usual, we can
start the essay by paraphrasing the
which has been developed for tourism.
question (rewrite the question in
your own words).
My overview: It is clear that the island has changed considerably with the
introduction of tourism, and six new features can be seen in the second 2. Overview: For our second
diagram. The main developments are that the island is accessible and visitors paragraph we need to summarise
have somewhere to stay. the information in a couple of
sentences. When comparing
Looking at the maps in more detail, we can see that small huts have been diagrams, we can count the
number of changes and look for
built to accommodate visitors to the island. The other physical structures the main types of changes.
that have been added are a reception building, in the middle of the island,
and a restaurant to the north of the reception. Before these developments, Here are some things that you might
the island was completely bare apart from a few trees. have noticed if you analysed it
carefully:
As well as the buildings mentioned above, the new facilities on the island Range of verb tenses, and use of
include a pier, where boats can dock. There is also a short road linking the both active and passive:
-has been developed,have been built
pier with the reception and restaurant, and footpaths connect the huts. - has changed
Finally, there is a designated swimming area for tourists off a beach on the - can be seen
western tip of the island. (175 words, band 9) - is, are, include
- was
4
IELTS Advice: small words can also impress Phrases and collocations that would
impress the examiner:
The three words would impress the examiner because they fit the description - with the introduction of tourism
perfectly. As one person pointed out in a comment below that lesson, most - new features
- main developments
students would probably use the word 'hotel' to describe the accommodation
- the island is accessible
for tourists shown on the map. Only a native speaker or an advanced learner - small huts*
of English would know that small buildings to accommodate tourists on an - to accommodate visitors
island would probably be called huts. - physical structures
It's the same with 'dock' and 'tip'. Not everyone would know that the perfect - in the middle of, to the north of
verb to describe the parking of a boat is 'to dock'. And not everyone would - completely bare apart from
- where boats can dock*
know that tip is the perfect word for the end point of a landmass.
- a designated swimming area
- the western tip* of the island
10. rise or raise? *huts, dock and tip might be the
words that most impress the
These two words are often confused by students. Here is the main difference: examiner in this essay.
1. something rises (e.g. the price rose)
2. somebody raises something (e.g. the company raised the price)
3. "Rise" (rose, risen) can be a verb or a noun. use it for IELTS writing task 1:
The price of cigarettes rises every year. (verb, present)
In 2008, the number of customers rose from 100 to 200. (verb, past)
There has been a dramatic rise in Internet usage in the UK. (noun)
In 2008, the UK saw a rise in the divorce rate. (noun)
4. "Raise" (raised) is almost always a verb. probably won't use it for task 1:
The Government raises the price of cigarettes every year.
Charities work to raise the standard of living in developing countries.
11. pie charts essay (Cambridge 8 Test2)
'details' paragraphs
I always write 4 paragraphs: this encourages you to divide the
1. Introduction-paraphrase the question information into 2 groups, and
2. Overview-describe 2 main or general things hopefully this means that your essay
3. Details 4. Details will be better organised and you'll
The pie charts compare the expenditure of a school in the UK in three make some useful comparisons.
different years over a 20-year period.
It is clear that teachers’ salaries made up the largest proportion of the
school’s spending in all three years (1981, 1991 and 2001). By contrast,
insurance was the smallest cost in each year.
In 1981, 40% of the school’s budget went on teachers’ salaries. This figure
Analysis: You can see that I chose to
rose to 50% in 1991, but fell again by 5% in 2001. The proportion of spending
put the two types of salaries
on other workers’ wages fell steadily over the 20-year period, from 28% of the together in one paragraph, and the
budget in 1981 to only 15% in 2001. other three categories together in
Expenditure on insurance stood at only 2% of the total in 1981, but the second paragraph. There are
reached 8% in 2001. Finally, the percentages for resources and other ways to divide the information,
furniture/equipment fluctuated. The figure for resources was highest in 1991, but this seemed the most obvious
way to me.
at 20%, and the proportion of spending on furniture and equipment reached
its peak in 2001, at 23%. (158 words, band 9)
12. the most common mistake
The most common mistake in IELTS writing task 1 is not a grammar mistake.
Find the 2 big mistakes in the sentences below: The unemployment rate in the
UK rose by 2% between 2008 and 2009, whereas Canada decreased by about
1%. The USA was the highest, at just over 4%.
The big problem is: you CAN'T write "Canada decreased" or "the USA was the
highest". Canada didn't decrease! The unemployment rate decreased.
Here's an example corrected version:
The unemployment rate in the UK rose by 2% between 2008 and 2009,
whereas in Canada it decreased by about 1%. The USA saw the highest rise in
unemployment, with an increase of just over 4%.
5
11. line graph essay Some paraphrasing that you could
use in your introduction:
The graph below shows US consumers' average annual expenditures on cell - annual expenditures = yearly spending
phone and residential phone services between 2001 and 2010. - cell phone services = mobile phones
- residential services = landline phones

Two possible main points for your

overview / summary:
- compare the two trends over the whole
period
- say what happened in 2006

Select key details:

- compare the figures for 2001
- describe the changes in expenditure
over the following 5 years
- give the figures for 2006 (where the
two lines meet)
- finish with a comparison of spending in
2010
The line graph compares average yearly spending by Americans on mobile repeating words
In the line graph essay I repeated the
and landline phone services from 2001 to 2010.
word "expenditure" four times. Is
It is clear that spending on landline phones fell steadily over the 10-year this a problem?
period, while mobile phone expenditure rose quickly. The year 2006 marks the The answer is no! If you look at the
point at which expenditure on mobile services overtook that for residential graph, you can see that the whole
phone services. essay must be about expenditure.
In 2001, US consumers spent an average of nearly $700 on residential In fact, I needed to mention the idea
of expenditure eleven times! Does
phone services, compared to only around $200 on cell phone services. Over
the examiner really expect you to
the following five years, average yearly spending on landlines dropped by think of eleven synonyms for
nearly $200. By contrast, expenditure on mobiles rose by approximately $300. "expenditure"? Of course not. It's
In the year 2006, the average American paid out the same amount of impossible to avoid repeating some
money on both types of phone service, spending just over $500 on each. By of the key words in writing task 1.
2010, expenditure on mobile phones had reached around $750, while the Try to add variety where you can
(I also used "spending", "spent" and
figure for spending on residential services had fallen to just over half this
"paid out"), but don't become
amount. (162 words, band 9) obsessed with this. The important
12. charts showing countries thing is to describe and compare the
data.
A few things to remember when the graph or chart shows countries: Don't forget the word "the"
If the question doesn't name the countries (e.g. "in three countries"), you when writing about "the USA"
could name them in your introduction (e.g. "in Britain, France and Germany"). and "the UK".
You could even write "in three countries, namely Britain, France and For example:
Germany". The number of elderly people in the
Always compare the countries; never describe the figures for each country in USA rose.
separate paragraphs. Finally, try to vary the way you write about countries. Canada also saw a rise in the
number of elderly people.
13. describing percentages However, the figure for Australia fell.

Here are 3 useful techniques for describing percentages:

English speakers usually put the percentage at the start of the sentence.
Use while, whereas or compared to (after a comma) to add a comparison.
Use "the figure for" to add another comparison in the next sentence.

Use these examples as models for your own sentences:

In 1999, 35% of British people went abroad for their holidays, while only 28%
of Australians spent their holidays in a different country. The figure for the
USA stood at 31%.

Around 40% of women in the UK had an undergraduate qualification in 1999,

compared to 37% of men. The figures for the year 2000 rose slightly to 42%
and 38% respectively.
6
14. ways to prepare
Before you start writing any task 1
1) Print a collection of questions essays, it's a good idea to have an
Try to get paper copies (printed) of around 10 different questions - it's useful overview of the different types of
questions that you might face.
to be able to see them all in one place. Your 'pack' of questions should include:
a line graph, bar chart, pie chart, table, 2 different charts, 3 or more similar
On a different day, practise
charts, process diagram, comparison diagram, life cycle, map. describing percentages, or
2) Practise parts of essays comparing numbers etc...
Instead of writing a full essay, try writing 10 introductions - one for each of the
questions in your 'pack' (see point 1 above). The next time you are studying,
just focus on writing overviews.
3) Use 'model' sentences
Use my sentences as models, and simply change the content according to the
topic.
15. life cycle diagram
The diagram shows the life cycle of the honey bee. Two things to consider are:
1. how to summarise the diagram before describing the stages in detail
2. whether to use active or passive verb forms
As I've explained before, we don't write a conclusion for task 1, we write an overview. You
can put this at the end of your essay, but I prefer to put it straight after the introduction.
Let's return to last week's life cycle question.
The diagram illustrates the various stages in the life of a honey bee. We
can see that the complete life cycle lasts between 34 and 36 days. It is also
noticeable that there are five main stages in the development of the honey nymph = immature form of an insect
bee, from egg to mature adult insect. moult = shed or lose old feathers,
The life cycle of the honey bee begins when the female adult lays an egg; hair or skin to allow for new growth
the female typically lays one or two eggs every 3 days. Between 9 and 10 days
later, each egg hatches and the immature insect, or nymph, appears. Note: I often separate the
During the third stage of the life cycle, the nymph grows in size and sheds introduction and overview, but
its skin three times. This moulting first takes place 5 days after the egg hatches, in this case I've put them
then 7 days later, and again another 9 days later. After a total of 30 to 31 days together in the same paragraph.
from the start of the cycle, the young adult honey bee emerges from its final Both ways are fine.
moulting stage, and in the space of only 4 days it reaches full maturity. (169 words, band 9)
15. using the passive
1 and 3 need to be changed:
In which of the following sentences is the passive used appropriately? Which 1. The number of marriages
sentences should be changed to the active? decreased between 1999 and 2009.
1) The number of marriages was decreased between 1999 and 2009. (not 'was decreased')
2) First, the raw materials are mixed together. 3. The figure for residents with no
3) The figure for residents with no children has been increased this year. children has increased this year. (not
'has been increased')
4) The final product is packaged and delivered to shops.
The passive is used correctly in
16. a real process description sentences 2 and 4 because they
describe steps in a process.
For glass wool, the raw materials are sand, limestone and soda ash, as well as
recycled off-cuts from the production process. The raw materials are melted in You might find it useful to read a real
a furnace at very high temperatures, typically between 1,300°C to 1,500°C. The process description from this
smoke created during this process is filtered and flue gases are cleaned to website about insulation
manufacturing. The extract below
minimise any environmental impact. The droplets of melt exiting the furnace
looks very similar to a paragraph
are spun into fibres. Small quantities of binding agents are added to the fibres. from an IELTS essay!
The mineral wool is then hardened in a curing oven at around 200°C. The
mineral wool is cut to the required size and shape.

Task:Can you find the passive verbs in the paragraph above? Can you improve
the paragraph by adding some sequencing words (firstly, then etc.)?

7
17. process diagrams (See Cambridge IELTS book 8 for the full question)
The following paragraph describes the process of making cement. There are 2 things that make process
At the first stage in the cement production process, limestone and clay are descriptions special:
Phrases that order the process and
crushed to form a powder. This powder is then mixed and passed through a
link the steps (underlined)
rotating heater. The resulting mixture is ground, and finally the end product, Passive verbs (highlighted)
cement, is packed into large bags.
18. diagram overview
But how do you write an overview of a diagram that doesn't show numbers? After the introduction, I tell my
1) Here are some things you could put in a process diagram overview: students to write an overview of
The total number of steps in the process. the information shown on the
chart. When the chart shows
Where the process begins and ends.
numbers, we look for the highest,
2) And this is what you could write about for a comparing diagram: lowest, biggest change, overall
The total number of changes or differences. trend etc.
The main changes or differences.
The main similarities or what doesn't change.
18. always the same method
Students worry about how to
The diagrams below show some principles of house design for cool and for describe diagrams, but the basic
warm climates. method is always the same:
introduction, summary of main
points, specific details.

Although this question is different

from the normal graph/chart
questions, you should structure your
answer in the same way. Try to write
4 paragraphs:

1. Introduction: paraphrase the

The diagrams show how house designs differ according to climate. question.
The most noticeable difference between houses designed for cool and warm 2. Summary: describe the main
climates is in the shape of the roof. The designs also differ with regard to the differences - the design of the roof
windows and the use of insulation. and windows, and the use of
insulation.
We can see that the cool climate house has a high-angled roof, which allows 3. Details:compare the roof design
sunlight to enter through the window. By contrast, the roof of the warm and use of insulation.
climate house has a peak in the middle and roof overhangs to shade the
windows. Insulation and thermal building materials are used in cool climates
to reduce heat loss, whereas insulation and reflective materials are used to
keep the heat out in warm climates.
Finally, the cool climate house has one window which faces the direction of
4. Details:compare the window
the sun, while the warm climate house has windows on two sides which are design and how windows are used
shaded from the sun. By opening the two windows at night, the house during the day and at night.
designed for warm climates can be ventilated. (162 words, band 9)

8
19. graph with temperatures
The climograph below shows average monthly temperatures and rainfall in the
city of Kolkata (or Calcutta).
The following easy questions should help you to notice some key features:
1. Do temperatures and rainfall vary (change) significantly over the year?
2. In which months are temperatures highest and lowest? (include figures)
3. On average, how much rain falls in the months of July and August?
4. What is noticeable about January and December?
Here are my answers:
1. Monthly figures for precipitation in Kolkata vary considerably, but
monthly temperatures remain relatively stable.
2. Temperatures are highest between April and June, at around 30°C, and
Note: the verbs used above are in
lowest in December and January, at approximately 20°C.
the present simple (vary, remain, are,
3. Average rainfall reaches around 330mm in the months of July and August. reaches, experiences) because the
4. It is noticeable that Kolkata experiences both its lowest temperatures and graph shows average figures, not
its lowest rainfall in January and December. particular years.

The chart compares average figures for temperature and precipitation 'highest' or 'the highest'?
over the course of a calendar year in Kolkata. We use "the" when there is a noun
It is noticeable that monthly figures for precipitation in Kolkata vary after the adjective e.g. the highest
considerably, whereas monthly temperatures remain relatively stable. Rainfall number, the highest proportion.
is highest from July to August, while temperatures are highest in April and When we put the noun before, we
May. don't need "the" e.g. the number
Between the months of January and May, average temperatures in was highest, the proportion was
highest.
Kolkata rise from their lowest point at around 20°C to a peak of just over 30°C. So, compare these 2 sentences:
Average rainfall in the city also rises over the same period, from approximately
20mm of rain in January to 100mm in May. - The UK had the highest rate of
While temperatures stay roughly the same for the next four months, the unemployment.
- The unemployment rate was
amount of rainfall more than doubles between May and June. Figures for highest in the UK.
precipitation remain above 250mm from June to September, peaking at
around 330mm in July. The final three months of the year see a dramatic fall in
precipitation, to a low of about 10mm in December, and a steady drop in
temperatures back to the January average. (173 words, band 9)

19.1 double, twice as, twofold A few students have asked me about
how to use 'double', 'twice as',
1. 'double' (verb) 'three times', 'twofold', 'threefold'
The number of unemployed people doubled between 2005 and 2009. etc. Compare how each word/phrase
is used in the following examples:
2. 'twice as...as/compared to', 'three times as...as/compared to'
There were twice as many unemployed people in 2009 as in 2005.
Twice as many people were unemployed in 2009 compared to 2005.
Try using these forms in your own
3. 'twofold', 'threefold' (adjective or adverb) sentences. Make sure you follow the
patterns.
There was a twofold increase in the number of unemployed people between
2005 and 2009. (adjective with the noun 'increase')
The number of unemployed people increased twofold between 2005 and 2009.
(adverb with the verb 'increase') In IELTS writing task 1, you might
need to use verbs like increase,
19.2 'to' or 'by' decrease, rise and fall. These verbs
can be followed by the words 'to'
Let's use these figures: and 'by', but what's the
- Company profit in 2005 = £20,000 - Company profit in 2010 = £25,000 difference?

Now compare these sentences: It's easy: 'to' is used before the
new figure, and 'by' is used to
- Company profit rose to £25,000 in 2010. show the change. It's the same
- Company profit rose by £5,000 between 2005 and 2010. when you are talking about a fall.
9
20.1 real statistics A good place to find 'real'
descriptions of graphs and charts is a
government statistics website like
The employment rate for those aged from 16 to 64 for the three months to this one for the UK. If you click on
June 2012 was 71.0 per cent. This is the highest figure since the three months the different themes, you'll see
to May 2009 and it is up 0.4 percentage points on the previous quarter. The graphs, charts and written
number of people in employment aged 16 and over increased by 201,000 on summaries of recent statistics for the
the quarter to reach 29.48 million, the largest quarterly increase since the country.
three months to July 2010. The number of people in employment was 96,000
lower than the pre-recession peak of 29.57 million recorded for March-May Here's an example summary from
the website
2008.
- London saw a significant increase in
20.2 nouns and verbs the cost of homes. (noun)
- The cost of homes in London
When describing changes I prefer to avoid words like soar, rocket and increased significantly. (verb)
plummet because they are too "sensationalist" - they exaggerate too much,
- There was a rise in house prices
and are more journalistic than academic in style.
between 1990 and 1995. (noun)
Instead, we can demonstrate good control of grammar by using words like - House prices rose between 1990 and
increase, rise and fall as both nouns and verbs. 1995. (verb)

21. Bar chart - There was a 7% fall in the average

house price in Tokyo. (noun)
- The average Tokyo house price fell by
· Figure 1 shows that expenditure was highest in London (£552.30 per week),
7%. (verb)
followed by the South East (£523.90), the East of England (£487.70) and the
South West (£474.10) Average weekly household
· It also shows that spending was lowest among households in the North East expenditure, by region, 2007-09
(£387.20) and Yorkshire and The Humber (£400.70)
· In the West Midlands, East Midlands, Yorkshire and The Humber, and the
South East, the largest household expenditure category was transport, ranging
from £63.30 to £75.30 a week respectively. In the North East, Yorkshire and
The Humber, North West, and the South West the largest household
expenditure category was on recreation and culture, ranging from £51.20 to
£63.20 per week respectively. In London the highest overall spend was on
housing, fuel and power (£80.10)
ten sentences
1. State what the chart shows. Weekly expenditure (£)
2. Make a general comparison between the South and the North.
3. Contrast London with the North East (without giving the figures).
4. Give the overall figure for England. One way to practise for writing task
5. Give the figure for London and compare it with the average for England. 1 is to think in terms of sentences
rather than worrying about the full
6. Add that figures for the South East, East and South West were also higher
essay. Just take a chart or graph and
than the country average. try to write 10 sentences about it.
7. Give approximate figures for the three regions above.
8. Describe the similar figures for the West Midlands, North West and East
Midlands.
9. Give figures for the North East, Yorkshire and the Humber.
10. Compare figures for the North East, national average and London.
repeating key words
If you try to use too much variety,
Repeating a key word or phrase a few times is not a problem; sometimes it is there is a danger that you will
necessary to show that you are consistently talking about the same thing. confuse the reader or write
It's fine to either repeat the key words or make small changes. Look at these something that does not mean what
examples of small changes I made to the phrase average weekly spending: you want it to mean.

spent on average average expenditure

weekly spending figures levels of spending
spent per week expenditure per week

10
Here are my 10 sentences:
1. The bar chart shows average weekly spending by households in different
areas of England between 2007 and 2009.
2. Households in the south of the country spent more on average than
those in the north.
3. Average weekly spending by households was highest in London and
lowest in the North East.
4. English households spent on average around £470 per week.
5. The average expenditure for households in London was about £560 per
week, almost £100 more than the overall figure for England.
6. Households in the South East, East and South West also spent more than
the national average.
7. Weekly household spending figures for those three regions were
approximately £520, £490 and £480 respectively.
8. Similar levels of household spending were seen in the West Midlands, the
North West and the East Midlands, at about £430 to £450 per week.
9. In the region of Yorkshire and the Humber, households spent
approximately £400 per week, while expenditure in the North East was
around £10 per week lower than this.
10. It is noticeable that average weekly expenditure by households in the
North East was around £80 less than the national average, and around
£170 less than the London average.

a common mistake Note:

Students often make mistakes with thousands, millions and billions. It might When there is no number, we
seem strange, but you should say "10 million" not "10 millions". It's the same do write "millions of".
with hundred, thousand and billion. Try to avoid this mistake in writing task 1 - e.g. Millions of people travel
examiners notice it! abroad each year.

Correct: 10 million people

Wrong: 10 millions people, 10 millions of people, 10 million of people
You have 20 minutes for task 1, so
22. how to use your 20 minutes try spending 5 minutes on each
paragraph. This might help you to
1) First 5 minutes organise your time better.
Read the question, make sure you understand the chart, write your
introduction by paraphrasing the question.
2) Second 5 minutes
Look at the chart and try to find 2 general points. Don't look at specific details;
look for "the big picture". Write 2 sentences summarising the information.
3) Final 10 minutes
Describe specific details. Try to break this part into 2 paragraphs because it
looks better. You could spend 5 minutes on each paragraph.
23. the overview
A current examiner recently told
So what makes a good overview? Here are a few tips: me that the most common
1. An overview is simply a summary of the main things you can see. mistake in students' task 1 essays
2. Because the overview is so important, I recommend putting it at the is that there is no overview. This
beginning of your essay, just after the introduction sentence. was also true when I was an
examiner.
3. I write two overview sentences. A one-sentence overview isn't really
enough.
4. Try not to include specific numbers in the overview. Save the specifics
for later paragraphs.
5. Look at the 'big picture' e.g. the overall change from the first year to the
last year (if years are shown on the chart), the differences between
whole categories rather than single numbers, or the total number of
stages in a process.
11
My overview: Overall, car ownership in Britain increased between 1971 and Let's look at an example
2007. In particular, the number of households with two cars rose, while the overview of the graph below.
number of households without a car fell. (full essay in Page20)
Analysis:
1. Notice that I didn't include any specific numbers. Save the details for later.
2. The first sentence describes the "big picture". The first thing I did was look
at all 4 lines and the whole period. I noticed that there was an overall trend
towards people having more cars (the word 'ownership' came from the
question). Most students tend to miss this kind of general observation.
3. The second sentence highlights the biggest changes over the whole period.
With these 2 sentences, I've definitely summarised the main features of the
graph.
24. bar charts with age groups
choosing which details to include
3 sentences about the first chart: I usually find that 3 sentences are
1. Compare the percentages for students under 26. enough for a good 'details'
2. Mention the overall trend as students get older, and that the proportions paragraph, which means that we
are the same for the 40-49 age group. only need to choose 3 things to
3. Compare the percentages for students over 49. describe for each chart.
3 sentences about the second chart:
Cambridge IELTS 5, test 2 (page 52)
1. Write about the two youngest age groups. The charts below show the main
2. Write about the 30-39 age group. reasons for study among students
3. Write about the two oldest age groups. of different age groups and the
amount of support they received
The bar charts compare students of different ages in terms of why they are from employers.
studying and whether they are supported by an employer.
As usual, I recommend writing
It is clear that the proportion of students who study for career purposes is 4 paragraphs:
far higher among the younger age groups, while the oldest students are 1. A quick introduction to say
more likely to study for interest. Employer support is more commonly given what the charts show.
to younger students.
2. An overview of the main
Around 80% of students aged under 26 study to further their careers, features - one sentence for
whereas only 10% study purely out of interest. The gap between these two each chart.
proportions narrows as students get older, and the figures for those in their 3. Describe the first chart in
forties are the same, at about 40%. Students aged over 49 overwhelmingly detail.
study for interest (70%) rather than for professional reasons (less than 20%).

Just over 60% of students aged under 26 are supported by their employers.
By contrast, the 30-39 age group is the most self-sufficient, with only 30% 4. Describe the second chart
being given time off and help with fees. The figures rise slightly for students in detail.
in their forties and for those aged 50 or more. (178 words, band 9)

ages and age groups

It's easy to make small mistakes
One person: He is 10 years old. / He is a 10-year-old. /He is aged 10.
when describing ages and age
More than one person: The children in the class are all 10 years old. groups. Here are some examples
It is a class of 10-year-olds (or "10-year-old children"). that should help.
The children in the class are all aged 10.
Age groups with more than one person:
The chart shows the preferred hobbies of children (who are) between 10 and
12 years old.
The chart shows the preferred hobbies of 10- to 12-year-olds (or "10- to
12-year-old children"). Note: If you miss the hyphens (-), it's
The chart shows the preferred hobbies of children aged 10 to 12. not a big problem. It won't affect
your score.

12
25. paraphrasing The easiest way to start your Task 1
essay is by paraphrasing the
Here are some simple changes you can make: question. Paraphrasing means
 graph = line graph writing something in a different
way (using your own words).
 chart = bar chart
 diagram = figure
 shows = illustrates (or 'compares' if the graph is comparing)
 proportion = percentage
 information = data
 the number of = the figure for
 the proportion of = the figure for
 people in the USA = Americans Tip: "The figure for / figures for" is
 from 1999 to 2009 = between 1999 and 2009 a great phrase that not many
 from 1999 to 2009 = over a period of 10 years people use (e.g. the graph shows
 how to produce = the process of producing figures for unemployment in three
 in three countries=in the UK,France and Spain (i.e.name the countries) countries).

26. IELTS Grammar: number, amount, proportion, figure Somebody asked me about the
difference between these 4 words
number (for IELTS writing task 1). I'll try to
- Use "the number of + plural noun" e.g. the number of visitors. explain some basic ways to use
- Don't use it to describe percentages or uncountable nouns e.g. money. them.

amount
- Use "the amount of + uncountable noun" e.g. the amount of money.
- Don't use it with countable nouns e.g. the amount of person/people.

proportion
- Only use this to describe percentages (not numbers).
- Use "the proportion of + plural noun" e.g. the proportion of people.

figure
- Use "the figure for + plural noun" e.g. the figure for visitors to the UK. Note: If you've read any of my task
- Use it with uncountable nouns e.g. the figure for unemployment. 1 essays, you'll see that I like "the
figure for" because it can be used
- Use it with countries e.g. the figure for Canada.
in almost any situation.
- Use it with percentages e.g. the figure (for...) rose to 10%.
1. Introduction
27. why I'd start with task 1 Write one sentence, but introduce
each chart separately e.g. "The first
Students often ask whether it's better to do task 1 or task 2 first. bar chart shows..., and the second
In my opinion, it's best to start any exam with something quick and easy that chart illustrates..."
2. Summary of main points
gives you confidence. Hopefully you'll agree that the quickest and easiest part
Write 2 sentences. If the information
of the whole writing test is the introduction to task 1. You don't need to think in the charts is not connected, find
too much about the introduction to task 1; simply rewrite the question one main point or general trend for
statement by changing a few words. each chart. If the charts are
28. more than one chart connected, try to make comparisons.
3. Main body paragraphs
Many students are still worried about questions with more than one chart. If the 2 charts are completely
Here are some tips: different (e.g. a graph and a table),
write a separate paragraph about
 If there are 2 charts, they often show different information. Don't each. If the charts are the same, and
worry about comparing them. Just do: introduction, overview, then one show the same information (e.g. 2
paragraph for each chart. pie charts), don't describe them
 If the units are different (e.g. one chart shows 'millions' and the other separately; the examiner will want to
shows 'percentages'), you can't usually compare them. see comparisons. In this case, you
 If the units are the same, you can probably compare the charts. could write one paragraph
describing all of the information, but
 If there are 3 or 4 charts, you can usually compare them.
I still prefer to write 2 paragraphs
To see an essay about 2 different charts (Cambridge IELTS 6, p98). because it makes the essay look
To see an essay about 4 related charts (Cambridge IELTS 7, p101). more organised.
13
Cambridge IELTS 6, page 98 You might find it easier to introduce
The charts below give information about USA marriage and divorce rates two different charts by writing two
between 1970 and 2000, and the marital status of adult Americans in two of separate sentences.
the years.
Simple introduction: Paraphrase the
The first bar chart shows changes in the number of marriages and
question. Use “the first chart... the
divorces in the USA, and the second chart shows figures for the marital status second chart”
of American adults in 1970 and 2000.
It is clear that there was a fall in the number of marriages in the USA Summary: Describe one main point
between 1970 and 2000. The majority of adult Americans were married in about each chart (2 sentences)
both years, but the proportion of single adults was higher in 2000.
First chart: Compare marriage and
In 1970, there were 2.5 million marriages in the USA and 1 million
divorce rates. Mention 1970, 2000
divorces. The marriage rate remained stable in 1980, but fell to 2 million by the and anything interesting in between
year 2000. In contrast, the divorce rate peaked in 1980, at nearly 1.5 million (I mentioned 1980)
divorces, before falling back to 1 million at the end of the period.
Around 70% of American adults were married in 1970, but this figure Second chart: Start by comparing
dropped to just under 60% by 2000. At the same time, the proportion of the highest figures (married). I
grouped ‘never married’ and
unmarried people and divorcees rose by about 10% in total. The proportion of
‘ divorced’ together. Mention less
widowed Americans was slightly lower in 2000. (174 words) important figures quickly (widowed)

(four pie charts essay) Cambridge IELTS book 7, page 101

The pie charts below show units of electricity production by fuel source in
Australia and Fiance in 1980 and 2000.

The pie charts compare the amount of electricity produced using five
different sources of fuel in two countries over two separate years.
Total electricity production increased dramatically from 1980 to 2000 in
both Australia and France. While the totals for both countries were similar,
there were big differences in the fuel sources used.
Coal was used to produce 50 of the total 100 units of electricity in
Australia in 1980, rising to 130 out of 170 units in 2000. By contrast, nuclear
power became the most important fuel source in France in 2000, producing
almost 75% of the country’s electricity.
Australia depended on hydro power for just under 25% of its electricity in
both years, but the amount of electricity produced using this type of power fell
from 5 to only 2 units in France. Oil, on the other hand, remained a relatively
important fuel source in France, but its use declined in Australia. Both
countries relied on natural gas for electricity production significantly more in
1980 than in 2000. (170 words)
29. change or comparison?
While line graphs always show changes or trends (increase, decrease etc.), this
is not always true for bar charts, pie charts and tables.
Here is a bar chart that does show 'change': And here is a bar chart that shows 'comparison' :

14
Can you see the difference? How will this difference affect what you write in
your essay?
You seem to have the right idea:
1. Charts show 'change' when we see TIME (usually years) on the x axis.
2. Charts show 'comparison' when the x axis has different ITEMS rather than
time. You can't talk about 'increase/decrease' for this type of chart.
Last week we saw that there are two
30. IELTS Writing Task 1: bar chart without years types of bar chart:
1. those that show changes over
The important thing to remember about the second type is that you can't time
describe increases and decreases. Let's look at this type in more detail. 2. those that compare different
items
The chart below shows numbers of incidents and injuries per 100 million
passenger miles travelled (PMT) by transportation type in 2002.

Here's my advice for a 4-paragraph essay:

 Introduction: Explain what the chart shows by paraphrasing the question.
 Overview: Look for two main things - in this case, we could mention the
highest item and the fact that there were more incidents than injuries for all
five transport types. You don't need to mention any numbers at this point.
 Details: I'd probably group together the two highest items (demand response
and bus) in this paragraph. Remember that you can't talk about an increase or
decrease; you can only compare the numbers.
 Details: I'd group the three types of rail transport together for this paragraph.
Write some nice comparison sentences!
The bar chart compares the number of incidents and injuries for every 100
Note: You don't need to know what
million passenger miles travelled on five different types of public transport in 'demand-response' transport is (it's
2002. an American term which I've never
used).
It is clear that the most incidents and injuries took place on demand-response
vehicles. By contrast, commuter rail services recorded by far the lowest
figures.
A total of 225 incidents and 173 injuries, per 100 million passenger miles
travelled, took place on demand-response transport services. These figures
were nearly three times as high as those for the second highest category, bus
services. There were 76 incidents and 66 people were injured on buses. Note: Don't worry about the
repetition of "incidents and injuries"
Rail services experienced fewer problems. The number of incidents on light rail in this essay. There are no perfect
trains equalled the figure recorded for buses, but there were significantly synonyms for these words, although
fewer injuries, at only 39. Heavy rail services saw lower numbers of such I managed to use "problems" and
events than light rail services, but commuter rail passengers were even less "such events" later in the essay. The
most important thing is to describe
likely to experience problems. In fact, only 20 incidents and 17 injuries
the data clearly and make some
occurred on commuter trains. (165 words, band 9) good comparisons.
31. singular or plural? Students often make simple
mistakes with singular and plural
So, the labels on a chart could be:
forms, especially in Writing Task 1.
 single parent The problem is that the words
 graduate used on graphs, charts and tables
 only child are usually singular.
 laptop computer
But when you write a sentence, you might need to use a plural:
 The number of single parents increased.
 In 1999 nearly 55% of graduates were female.
 The UK has the highest number of only children.
 More laptop computers were sold in the UK than any other country.

Don't just copy the words from the graph or chart. Think first about how to
use them correctly.
15
32. table about waste
The table below shows the amount
A few things to consider before you write your essay: of waste production (in millions of
tonnes) in six different countries in
1. Can you think of a few alternative ways to write "waste production"?
three different years over a
2. What is the most noticeable feature of the table? twenty-year period.
3. Is there a general trend over the period of time shown?
4. How can you separate the information into 2 groups (in order to write 2
paragraphs about specific details)?
Here are my answers to last week's questions:
1. It's fine to repeat the word 'waste' because there isn't really an ideal
synonym ('rubbish' and 'garbage' have a more limited meaning). However,
we can vary our sentences by writing things like 'waste output', 'waste
materials' or 'the waste that was produced'.
2. The most noticeable feature must be that the US produced by far the
most waste in all 3 years. Use this idea in you 'overview' paragraph.
3. The general trend is that waste production rose in every country apart
from Korea. This could be your second 'overview' idea.
4. I would write one main paragraph comparing the 3 countries with the
highest figures (US, Japan, Korea), and a separate paragraph about
Ireland, Poland and Portugal. Try to use some 'comparing' language when
describing the countries (e.g. while, whereas, by contrast) and some I've missed out the verbs in the
'trend' language when describing the years (e.g. increased, rose, fell). following description. Choose them
from the list to fill the gaps. For
Missing words: risen, created, recorded, is, produced (x2), managed, given, some of the gaps, more than one
had (x2), stood, were, increased verb is possible.

The US, Japan and Korea ______ by far the most waste. In 1980, the US produced (or created)
______ 131 million tonnes of waste, while the figure for Japan ______ at 28 created (or produced); stood
million tonnes. No figure ______ ______ for Korea in 1980, but in 1990, 31 is given
million tonnes of waste ______ ______ in that country. By 2000, waste were recorded
production in the USA ______ ______ to 192 million tonnes, while Japan’s had increased (or risen)
figure ______ ______ to 53 million tonnes. However, Korea ______ to reduce had risen (or increased)
its output to 19 million tonnes. Ireland, Poland and Portugal only ______ a managed
total of around 30 million tonnes of waste between them, adding the figures produced (or created)
for all three years together.
Note: The above description is not a full essay.

Can you find the mistakes in the paragraph below?

In 1980, the US produced 131 millions of tonnes of waste. Japan was in Note:Some of the mistakes are not
second place with 28 millions, while the figures for Poland, Portugal and related to grammar.
Ireland were less than 5 millions. In 1990, the US was 151, and in 2000 it rose
to 192 millions.

Mistakes:
1. When there is a number we say "131 million tonnes". Only use "millions of
tonnes" when there is no number.
2. Don't write "in first/second place". It's not a competition!
3. Don't write "the US was + number"

So, here's my corrected paragraph:

In 1980, the US produced 131 million tonnes of waste. Japan produced the
second largest amount, with 28 million tonnes, while the figures for Poland,
Portugal and Ireland were less than 5 million. In 1990, the US created 151
million tonnes of waste, and in 2000 this rose to 192 million tonnes.

16
33. IELTS Writing Task 1: graph showing future years
Cambridge IELTS book 5 (page 29). The graph below shows the proportion of the population aged 65 and over
between 1940 and 2040 in three different countries.
Here are the steps I would follow to write my essay:
 Introduction:write one sentence to introduce what the
graph shows. Just paraphrase the question statement (i.e.
change a few words).
 Summary:describe 2 main things e.g. the overall trend for
all 3 countries, and the biggest change that you can see.
 Details:compare all 3 countries in 1940, then in 1990.
 Details:describe the dramatic increase predicted for Japan,
and compare all 3 countries in 2040.

Note: Try writing some essay plans like the one above.
Planning makes you think about selecting and organising, so
it's a useful skill to practise (even if you don't do a plan in
your exam).

The line graph compares the percentage of people aged 65 or more in

three countries over a period of 100 years.
It is clear that the proportion of elderly people increases in each country
between 1940 and 2040. Japan is expected to see the most dramatic changes
in its elderly population.
In 1940, around 9% of Americans were aged 65 or over, compared to
about 7% of Swedish people and 5% of Japanese people. The proportions of
elderly people in the USA and Sweden rose gradually over the next 50 years,
reaching just under 15% in 1990. By contrast, the figures for Japan remained
below 5% until the early 2000s.
Looking into the future, a sudden increase in the percentage of elderly
people is predicted for Japan, with a jump of over 15% in just 10 years from
2030 to 2040. By 2040, it is thought that around 27% of the Japanese
population will be 65 years old or more, while the figures for Sweden and the
USA will be slightly lower, at about 25% and 23% respectively.
(178 words, band 9)

analyse model essays

Here's some example analysis of last week's essay:
 Structure- 4 paragraphs: introduction, overview, 2 specific details
 Paraphrasing- proportion of the population = percentage of people (find
more examples)
 Overview- overall trend, then biggest change
 Selecting key information- first year (1940), middle years (1990, early 2000s),
end of period (2030 to 2040)
 Comparing- in each country, most dramatic, and, compared to, by contrast,
while, slightly lower, respectively (analyse my sentences to learn how to use
these words correctly)
 Verbs- compares, increases, is expected to see, were, rose, remained... (look
carefully at the use of tenses)
It's possible to read model essays quickly and learn a little. It's also possible to
spend a long time studying them carefully and learn a lot!

17
34. IELTS Writing Task 1: process diagram summary
When describing a process diagram, most students have no
problem describing the stages in the process step by step.
However, not many students are able to write a good
summary (or 'overview') of the process as a whole.
Think about how you would summarise this process:

Here are my tips for summarising process diagrams:

Write 2 sentences:
- First say how many stages there are in the whole process.
- Then say how/where the process begins and ends.

Did you notice the passives and sequencing

phrases?

- Passives: must be picked; are dried, roasted and

cooled; is mixed...
- Sequencing: then; and; at the sixth stage; next;
after that; finally...

The picture illustrates the process of coffee manufacture and preparation

for sale on the market.
It is clear that there are 11 stages in the production of coffee. The process
begins with the picking of coffee beans, and ends at the packing stage.
Looking at the coffee production process in detail, coffee beans must first
be picked in the fields. These beans are then dried, roasted, and cooled before
being put in a grinding machine, which turns the beans into coffee granules.
At the sixth stage in the process, the ground coffee is mixed with hot
water, and the resulting mixture is strained. Next, the mixture is frozen and
then passed once again through the grinder. After that, the ground, frozen
liquid is dried in a vacuum so that the water evaporates, leaving the coffee
granules. Finally, these granules are packed into coffee jars for delivery to When describing a process, verbs
shops. may be 'active' or 'passive'.
Active: A chicken lays an egg.
active & passive for processes Passive: An egg is laid (by a chicken).
Life cycle (natural process):
The adult moth lays its eggs. The silkworm larva produces silk thread. We often use the active to
Production of silk cloth (man-made process): describe a natural process and
The cocoon is boiled in water. the passive to describe a
The silk thread is unwound, twisted and then dyed. man-made process.
process diagrams Advice:
Here is some advice for describing a
 Introduction: paraphrase the question (one sentence). process diagram. The question I'm
 Summary paragraph: write how many steps there are. You could also using comes from Cambridge IELTS 6
mention the first step and the last step (two sentences). (test 3)
 Details: describe each step in the diagrams.
Introduction and summary paragraphs:
The figures illustrate the stages in the life of a silkworm and the process
of producing silk cloth.
There are four main stages in the life cycle of the silkworm, from eggs to
adult moth. The process of silk cloth production involves six steps, from
silkworm cocoon to silk material.

18
describing steps
For process diagrams, you will need to describe each step in order.
Brick manufacturing

The diagram below

shows the process by
which bricks are
manufactured for
the building industry.

*Clay: type of sticky

earth that is used for
making bricks, pots,
etc.

Here are my 2 main

paragraphs
describing the steps:
At the beginning of the process, clay is dug from the ground. The clay is
Note:Look at the use of passive
put through a metal grid, and it passes onto a roller where it is mixed with
verbs e.g. is dug, can be shaped,
sand and water. After that, the clay can be shaped into bricks in two ways:
are placed. I divided the stages
either it is put in a mould, or a wire cutter is used.
into 2 paragraphs to make the
At the fourth stage in the process, the clay bricks are placed in a drying
essay easier to read.
oven for one to two days. Next, the bricks are heated in a kiln at a moderate
temperature (200 - 900 degrees Celsius) and then at a high temperature (up to
1300 degrees), before spending two to three days in a cooling chamber. Finally,
the finished bricks are packaged and delivered. Here's some advice to help you
35. avoiding common mistakes avoid common mistakes in IELTS
writing task 1:
 Don't copy the question for your introduction. You should paraphrase
the question (i.e. rewrite it using some different words).
 Don't forget to separate your paragraphs clearly. I prefer to put the overview straight
 Don't forget to write a good summary/overview of the information. A after the introduction, and I try to
write 2 sentences describing the
quick one-sentence conclusion is not good enough.
information in general. You won't get
 Don't describe items separately (e.g. 2 lines on a graph). You should a high score if you don't write a good
always try to compare things if it is possible to do so. Instead of describing overview.
2 lines separately, compare the 2 lines at key points.
 Don't try to describe every number on a chart or graph (unless there Practise spending 5 minutes on each
are only a few numbers). A key skill in task 1 is being able to choose the of your 4 paragraphs. Stop yourself
key information and describe or compare it well. I usually mention around after 20 minutes; remember that
task 2 is worth more marks.
6 or 7 numbers in my main paragraphs.
 Don't spend longer than 20 minutes on task 1.
Can you find the mistakes in the
36. grammar mistakes following sentences?
1.- delete 'us' -write '1970 and 2000'
1. The first table shows us the rate of marriage and divorce between 1970 - -make 'marriage' and 'divorce' plural
2000. 2. - delete 'while' because there is
2. While the divorce rate increased from 1 million to 1.5 million during the no contrast in this sentence
same period. 3.- delete 'as' - delete 'relatively'
3. As from 1990 to 2000 marriage rate has decreased relatively from 2.5 to 2 - write 'the marriage rate'
million. - use the past simple 'decreased',
not 'has decreased'
4. As shown in table 1 that the total number of marriages were high in 1970. 4. - write 'the first table shows that'
instead of 'as shown in table 1 that'
5. Finally few people got divorced in 1970 than 2000. - 'was' instead of 'were' because 'the
- put a comma after 'Finally' total number' is singular
- 'fewer' instead of 'few' because this is a comparison - I think the student means 'highest'
instead of 'high'

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37. line graph exercise
The graph below gives information about car ownership in Britain from 1971
to 2007.

Fill the gaps in the

essay with the
following words:
almost, to, figures, per,
between, by, over, with,
without, onwards

The graph shows changes in the number of cars ______ household in Great 1. per 2. over
Britain ______ a period of 36 years.
Overall, car ownership in Britain increased ______ 1971 and 2007. In particular, 3. between 4. without
the number of households with two cars rose, while the number of
households ______ a car fell.
In 1971, ______ half of all British households did not have regular use of a car. 5. almost 6. with
Around 44% of households had one car, but only about 7% had two cars. It was
uncommon for families to own three or more cars, ______ around 2% of
households falling into this category.
The one-car household was the most common type from the late 1970’s 7. onwards
______, although there was little change in the ______ for this category. The
8. figures
biggest change was seen in the proportion of households without a car, which
fell steadily over the 36-year period ______ around 25% in 2007. In contrast, 9. to
the proportion of two-car families rose steadily, reaching about 26% in 2007, 10. by
and the proportion of households with more than two cars rose ______
around 5%.

38. you don't need a conclusion

You don't need to write a conclusion for IELTS writing task 1. You need to write
an "overview" of the information.
But why don't you need to write a conclusion? What's the difference
between a conclusion and an overview?
First, a conclusion is really a final judgement, decision or opinion. This is
perfect for the task 2 essay, but task 1 asks you to write a description without
analysis or opinions. On the other hand, an "overview" is a simple description
of the main points. It is a summary of the information shown in the graph or
chart.
Second, a conclusion should be at the end of a piece of writing. An overview or
general summary could go either at the end or near the beginning. Personally,
I think it's a good idea to describe the main features of the graph or chart near
the beginning of your essay.
So, my suggested essay structure for task 1 looks like this:
 Introduction: what does the chart show?
 Overview / summary: what are the most noticeable features?
 Specific details: try to write 2 paragraphs.
20
39. how to describe future years Several people have asked me how
to write about future years on a
Past: In 1999, the proportion of people using the Internet in the USA was graph or chart. For example, what
tense should you use if the graph
about 20%. The figures for Canada and Mexico were lower, at about 10% and shows the year 2025?
5% respectively. In 2005, Internet usage in both the USA and Canada rose to
around 70% of the population, while the figure for Mexico reached just over
25%.
Future (I've changed the years and the verbs): In 2015, the proportion of Fill the gaps in the following
people using the Internet in the USA is expected to be about 20%. The figures text using the words below it. If
for Canada and Mexico are likely to be lower, at about 10% and 5% you find any of the gaps
respectively. In 2025, it is predicted that Internet usage in both the USA and difficult, miss them and come
Canada will rise to around 70% of the population, while the figure for Mexico back to them after doing the
should reach just over 25%. easier ones. - in - high - increase
40. comparing numbers - up - reached - with (x2) - a -
compared - was
Emigration from the UK
The number of people leaving the UK for 12 months or more ______ ______ - REACHED A record HIGH... WITH
record ______ in 2008, ______ an estimated 427,000 people emigrating. This
- This WAS UP from
______ ______ from 341,000 in 2007.
There has been a large ______ ______ the number of people emigrating for - a large INCREASE IN
work related reasons, particularly those with a definite job to go to. In 2008 an
estimated 136,000 people emigrated from the UK to take up a definite job, - COMPARED WITH
______ ______ 100,000 in 2007.
41. Accuracy
The gap-fill exercise below should test whether you can describe numbers accurately. Fill
the gaps with the following words: spent, spending, for, on, at, of, accounted, contributed,
was (x2)
UK Household Expenditure in 2009
Household ______ ______ highest in the transport category, ______ £63 a spending was ；at
week. This included £21.10 per week ______ purchase of vehicles, £31.80 on on
the operation of personal transport (such as petrol, diesel, repairs and
servicing) and £10.50 on transport services such as rail, tube and bus fares. contributed
Food and non-alcoholic drink purchases ______ £51 to weekly household was spent
expenditure - £13.10 of which ______ ______ on meat and fish, £3.70 on fresh accounted for
vegetables, and £3.00 on fresh fruit. Non-alcoholic drinks ______ ______ of
£4.00 ______ weekly expenditure, and £2.10 per week was spent on chocolate
and confectionery.
42. IELTS Grammar: using 'see' in writing task 1
A few people have asked me about using 'see' to describe numbers on a graph
or chart. Look at the following sentence: In Britain, CD sales increased
dramatically in the 1980s.
We can write the same sentence in various ways using 'see':
1. Britain saw a dramatic increase in CD sales in the 1980s.
2. The 1980s saw a dramatic increase in CD sales in Britain.
3. British shops saw CD sales increase dramatically in the 1980s.
43. IELTS Writing Task 1: 'in' and 'by' with dates
Look at the following description: In 2002, the cost of an average house in
the UK was around £130,000. By 2007, the average house price had risen to
almost £190,000, but it fell back to just under £150,000 in 2008.
Notice the verbs used with "in" and "by":
1. I used "in" with the past simple (was, fell).
2. I used "by" with the past perfect (had risen) to give the idea that the
increase had happened in the years leading up to 2007.
3. To avoid worrying about "by + past perfect" you could write: "Between
2002 and 2007, the average house price rose to..."
21
44. my thinking steps & table chart Before I worry about what language
to use, it's really important to
1. I know that I can write a short introduction by paraphrasing the question. understand the information, and
2. I look for an overall trend. I can see that the food/drinks/tobacco category decide how to organise it. This is
what I'm thinking:
has the highest percentages, and leisure/education has the lowest.
3. Now I want to write two main body paragraphs. I need to select
(Cambridge IELTS 7, page 30) The
something to say about each country. Remember, there is no rule about table below gives information on
what information you select; everyone will do this differently. consumer spending on different
4. I look for the highest figures in each category: I can see that Turkey has items in five different countries in
the highest figure for food/drinks/tobacco AND for education/leisure. 2002.
Italy has the highest figure for clothing/footwear. Percentage of national consumer
expenditure by category - 2002
5. So, I'll write a paragraph about Turkey and Italy.
6. My final paragraph needs to talk about Ireland, Spain and Sweden.
7. Maybe I'll point out that Ireland has a high figure for the first category,
Spain has the lowest figure for education/leisure, and Sweden has the
lowest figures for the first AND second categories.
8. I don't need a conclusion because I have already mentioned a general
trend in point 2.
The table shows percentages of consumer expenditure for three Note:
categories of products and services in five countries in 2002. - Which information did I choose to
It is clear that the largest proportion of consumer spending in each include in my 'summary' paragraph?
- Why did I use past and present
country went on food, drinks and tobacco. On the other hand, the
tenses in paragraph 2?
leisure/education category has the lowest percentages in the table. - How did I group the information for
Out of the five countries, consumer spending on food, drinks and tobacco paragraphs 3 and 4?
was noticeably higher in Turkey, at 32.14%, and Ireland, at nearly 29%. The
proportion of spending on leisure and education was also highest in Turkey, at
4.35%, while expenditure on clothing and footwear was significantly higher in
Italy, at 9%, than in any of the other countries.
It can be seen that Sweden had the lowest percentages of national
consumer expenditure for food/drinks/tobacco and for clothing/footwear, at
nearly 16% and just over 5% respectively. Spain had slightly higher figures for
these categories, but the lowest figure for leisure/education, at only 1.98%.
45. IELTS Writing Task 1: 'water use' graph and table
(Cambridge IELTS book 6, page 30) The graph and table below give information about
water use worldwide and water consumption in two different countries.

The charts compare the amount of water used for agriculture, industry
and homes around the world, and water use in Brazil and the Democratic
Republic of Congo. Here's my plan for a 4-paragraph
It is clear that global water needs rose significantly between 1900 and essay:
1. Introduction- rewrite the
2000, and that agriculture accounted for the largest proportion of water used.
question in a different way.
We can also see that water consumption was considerably higher in Brazil than 2. Summary- write one sentence
in the Congo. summarising the trend shown
In 1900, around 500km³ of water was used by the agriculture sector on the graph, and one
worldwide. The figures for industrial and domestic water consumption stood sentence summarising the
at around one fifth of that amount. By 2000, global water use for agriculture table.
3. Details paragraph- describe the
had increased to around 3000km³, industrial water use had risen to just under
graph in detail (maybe 3
half that amount, and domestic consumption had reached approximately sentences).
500km³.
In the year 2000, the populations of Brazil and the Congo were 176 4. Details paragraph- describe the
million and 5.2 million respectively. Water consumption per person in Brazil, at table in detail (maybe 3
359m³, was much higher than that in the Congo, at only 8m³, and this could be sentences).
explained by the fact that Brazil had 265 times more irrigated land. (184
words, band 9)
Remember: we don't write a conclusion because a conclusion means a final decision or
opinion. However, you can put the summary at the end (instead of second) if you want.

22
46. IELTS Writing Task 1: pie chart practice Note1: Don't try to 'show off' in
your introduction. Just use 'show',
Introduction - just say what the pie charts show: 'compare' or 'illustrate'; don't use
The pie charts compare the proportion of carbohydrates, protein and fat words like 'depict' or 'indicate'.
in three different diets, namely an average diet, a healthy diet, and a healthy Note2: There is no 'right' way to
diet for sport. choose your main/general points.
Summary - write 2 sentences about the main/general points: Just choose the two things that
It is noticeable that sportspeople require a diet comprising a significantly you notice first. I try to avoid
higher proportion of carbohydrates than an average diet or a healthy diet. The specific numbers in my summaries
average diet contains the lowest percentage of carbohydrates but the highest - save numbers for the 'details'
paragraphs. We'll look at those
proportion of protein. next week.
Carbohydrates ______ ______ 60% of the healthy diet for sport. This is
10% ______ than the proportion of carbohydrates in a normal healthy diet,
1. make 2. up 3. higher
and 20% more than the proportion in an average diet. On the other hand,
4. relative 5. amount
people who eat an average diet consume a greater ______ ______ of protein
6. constitutes 7. one
(40%) than those who eat a healthy diet (30%) and sportspeople (25%).
8. fifth 9. figure 10. drops
The third compound shown in the charts is fat. Fat ______ exactly ______
______ of both the average diet and the healthy diet, but the ______ ______
to only 15% for the healthy sports diet.
47. IELTS Writing Task 1: tables
Tables seem difficult when they contain a lot of numbers. Here's some advice:
1. Try to write 4 paragraphs - introduction, summary of main points, 2 detail
paragraphs.
2. Before you start writing, highlight some key numbers. Choose the biggest
number in each category in the table (i.e. in each column and row). If the
table shows years, look for the biggest changes in numbers over the time
period. You could also mention the smallest numbers, but you can ignore
'middle' numbers (neither biggest nor smallest). The chart below shows average
3. For your summary paragraph, try to compare whole categories (columns hours and minutes spent by UK
or rows) rather than individual 'cells' in the table. If you can't compare males and females on different
whole categories, compare the biggest and smallest number. Write 2 daily activities.
sentences for the summary.
4. In your two 'details' paragraphs, never describe each category (column or
row) separately. The examiner wants to see comparisons. Try to organise
the numbers you highlighted into 2 groups - one for each paragraph (e.g.
highest numbers for all categories together, and lowest numbers
together).
5. Describe / compare the numbers you highlighted - include at least 3
numbers in each paragraph.
6. Use the past simple for past years, and 'will' or 'is expected/predicted to'
for future years. If no time is shown, use the present simple.

The table compares the average ______ of time per day that men and
women in the UK spend ______ different activities.
It is clear that people in the UK spend more time ______ than doing any
other daily activity. Also, there are significant differences between the time
______ by men and women on employment/study and housework. 1. amount
On average, men and women in the UK ______ for about 8 hours per day. 2. doing
Leisure ______ ______ the second largest proportion of their time. Men spend 3. sleeping
5 hours and 25 minutes doing various leisure activities, such as watching TV or 4. spent
5. sleep
doing sport, ______ women have 4 hours and 53 minutes of leisure time.
6. takes
It is noticeable that men work or study for an average of 79 minutes more 7. up
than women every day. By contrast, women spend 79 minutes more than men 8. while
doing housework, and they spend ______ ______ as much time looking after 9. over
children. 10. twice

23
48. line graph exercise

The graph below shows UK acid rain emissions, measured in millions of

tonnes, from four different sectors between 1990 and 2007.

The line graph compares four sectors in ______ of the amount of acid rain terms
emissions that they produced over a period of 17 years in the UK.

It is clear that the total amount of acid rain emissions in the UK ______ fell considerably
______ between 1990 and 2007. The most ______ decrease was seen in dramatic
the electricity, gas and water supply sector.

In 1990, around 3.3 million tonnes of acid rain emissions came from the responsible
electricity, gas and water sector. The transport and communication sector produced
was ______ for about 0.7 million tonnes of emissions, while the domestic
sector ______ around 0.6 million tonnes. Just over 2 million tonnes of acid
rain gases came from other industries.

Emissions from electricity, gas and water supply fell dramatically to only 0.5
drop
million tonnes in 2007, a ______ of almost 3 million tonnes. While acid rain
saw
gases from the domestic sector and other industries fell gradually, the
reaching
transport sector ______ a small increase in emissions, ______ a peak of 1
million tonnes in 2005.

Fill the gaps using these words:

produced, reaching, fell, responsible, saw, considerably, terms, drop,
dramatic

49. general to specific

If you read any of my example essays, you will see that I always write 4
paragraphs, and I use a "general to specific" essay structure.
1. The introduction is the most general part of the essay; it tells the reader
what the chart is about.
2. Then I write a paragraph about the main points or the most general
points.
3. Finally, I write 2 paragraphs describing specific facts or figures.
4. I don't write a conclusion because I have already summarised the
information in paragraph 2.
One reason I put the summary near the beginning (rather than at the end) is
because I think it's easier to describe general things first, then specific things
later.

24